From afar, Jimmer Fredette’s two-month stint with the Chicago Bulls last season seems eminently forgettable. After a midseason move to the Windy City from Sacramento, Fredette rarely left the bench, appearing in only eight Bulls games. Only once did the 6-foot-2 guard play more than eight minutes, and he received a “did not play/coach’s decision” in each of Chicago’s five playoff games, preventing him from making his NBA postseason debut.
Dig a bit deeper though, and Fredette believes the experience was more than just a string of DNPs and bench splinters. Under four-year head coach Tom Thibodeau, the Bulls have ranked first or second in the NBA in defensive efficiency three times, including a second-place finish in 2013-14. Fredette believes the experience of practicing and working daily with the Bulls made him better on defense, an area in which he has received criticism as a pro.
“Sometimes it happens, especially if you’re a shooter,” the 40.1 percent career three-point marksman said of being labeled a below-average defender. “They say that you can’t play great defense. I’ve had some difficulties, but I’ve also done some good things on defense. So it’s just all about effort… You’ve got to take it personal and work as hard as you can on that end of the floor. I’ve definitely gotten better, to where everyone can see that I’m not a defensive liability.”
New Orleans has struggled on defense in recent seasons, including finishing 27th in defensive efficiency last season, amid a steady stream of injuries. The team’s short-handed roster actually affected the Pelicans much more on defense than offense, where they still were 13th in efficiency, despite multiple leading scorers being sidelined.
To reach the playoffs in 2015, New Orleans will need to make a significant climb up the rankings, perhaps somewhere in the vicinity of the 10th- and 15th-place finishes that Williams’ first two teams achieved, respectively. For Fredette to finally cement a permanent season-long role in an NBA rotation, he will have to show improvement on defense. Although advanced individual defensive statistics need to be taken with a grain of salt, Fredette’s career defensive rating is 114 points allowed per 100 possessions. In his first two NBA seasons, Sacramento finished 29th both times in defensive efficiency (ratings of 109.8 and 111.4, meaning the Kings’ defense was slightly worse with Fredette on the court).
Early in training camp, Fredette and his new team are clearly emphasizing the defensive end, including spending much of Tuesday’s initial practice focused on terminology and schemes. After a tumultuous 2013-14 that included being waived by Sacramento in February and signed by Chicago days later, the 25-year-old BYU product should be in better position to contribute. He’s split time guarding both backcourt positions in the NBA; according to Basketball-Reference.com, 64 percent of his career minutes have come at point guard, with 36 percent at shooting guard.
“Being in Chicago really helped me out with defensive schemes, being in the right positioning,” Fredette said of playing for Thibodeau, a USA Basketball assistant described by Williams as the best defensive coach he’s ever worked with. “I had never (changed teams) before, so I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but I learned a lot and had a great time in Chicago. The guys were amazing, very great teammates to play for and play with. I learned a lot in Coach Thibs’ system. I think ultimately it’s going to help me a lot this year.”